


Striketober 2020

by RobinVenetiaa



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith, Strike (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:40:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 12,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26838382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinVenetiaa/pseuds/RobinVenetiaa
Summary: Attempting Striketober.
Relationships: Robin Ellacott & Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 308
Kudos: 172
Collections: Striketober | Cormoran Strike Fictober 2020





	1. “Is that even possible?”

**Author's Note:**

> Belatedly attempting to join in. Never attempted anything like this and hopefully I’ll catch up soon.

“Is that even possible?” Robin asks, incredulous.

“Wot?” He mumbles, mouth full of biscuit.

There is no hint of humor in her tone. “You’re full? When have you ever been full?”

He takes a sip of tea to help swallow as he narrows his eyes at her. “I’m not a bottomless pit.”

“Debatable.” Robin mumbles under her breath as she carries their empty mugs to the sink.

“Oi! I heard that.”

She comes back to collect the empty tray of biscuits but notices there’s one left at the same time as Cormoran.

She holds the package out to him, waits as his eyes dart between the lone biscuit and her smirk.

Finally he gives in, stuffing the lonely treat in his mouth as Robin devolves into giggles.

  
  
  



	2. “Want some company?”

Robin tiptoed up to Strike’s flat above their office. She hadn’t planned on staying over tonight but her surveillance ran long and his was only a quick walk. 

He only ever locked up when Robin was over even though he’d given her a key.

When she popped her head in the door he was asleep, snoring softly. She thought she would have hated laying next to a man who snores but she finds it oddly comforting. 

She stays as quiet as she can but he still wakes when her boots hits the floor a little too hard.

“Rob’n?” His hair is sticking up as he blinks trying to adjust his eyes.

She smiles at him as she strips down to her underwear. “Want some company?”

He simply lifts the blanket for her to crawl under and wraps it around her as she settles in against him.


	3. “It sounded better in my head”

His face scrunches up in embarrassment the moment the words leave his mouth.

“Honey Bun?!” Robin repeats back to him, looking even more disturbed than him.

“It sounded better in my head…”

She stares at him, eyebrows half way up her forehead.

“Look I’m not used to the whole pet name thing.” He nervously rubs his hands through his hair.

“You don’t have to use them, you know?”

“Yeah but you called me ‘babe’ twice in the past week and I liked it. Felt nice.”

Robin looks surprised. “Did I? I hadn’t even realized.”

“So it’s gotta come naturally then?”

“Guess so.”

He gets up to go make tea but stops to kiss the top of her head as he passes. 

“Would you like a cuppa, snickerdoodle?”

He smiles as Robin groans and starts the kettle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, i think he’d just call her love or sweetheart. Simple and classic.


	4. “Where does it hurt?”

Strike was laying back against the pillows on his bed. It wasn’t late but he had an early start to a long day and he was aching all over.

Robin had walked into the flat a few minutes after him and saw him standing in the kitchen taking a paracetamol. She shooed him into bed, telling him to get comfortable and relax.

So now here they were, Cormoran laying back on the bed in only his boxers and Robin beside him sitting on her heels. She’s wearing his recently discarded button up and little else.

“Where does it hurt?”

She looks up at him through her lashes and she leans forward to kiss his chest.

“Here?”

He shakes head and she kisses him along his ribs.

“Here?”

Again, he shakes his head before she moves on to kiss his stomach.

He’s breathing harder but still shakes his head when she raises an eyebrow in question. She travels lower and kisses along the waistline of his boxers.

“Here?”

But when he shakes his head no again she pulls back.

“Guess I’m never gonna find it.” She shrugs, moving back but before she can crawl off the bed he’s got her around the waist and pulls her close, Robin laughing as he kisses down her neck.


	5. “Don’t move”

“Don’t move.”

Robin stops in the doorway of their front office, looking at him curiously. 

Strike walks up to her, brow furrowed before he reaches up to gently brush something off her cheek. His hand lingers and she briefly thinks he’s about to cup her cheek before his hand falls away and he coughs.

“Sorry, you had a smudge. Can’t let you go off on a date like that, can I?”

Her eyes are sparkling when he meets them and her voice is soft when she speaks.

“What are you up to tonight?”

He shrugs as though he hadn’t been preparing for it since he found out about the date Vanessa had set up for her.

“Got a brand new bottle of whiskey and telly waiting for me upstairs.”

She smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“That sounds nice.” She means it.

“You-“ He swallows hard. “You wanna join me? I could order us a pizza.” 

This time when she smiles it lights up the whole room and they walk up to his tiny flat hand in hand, her date forgotten.


	6. Is it working?

Cormoran grabs Robin and has her pressed up against the wall before she can say a word. His face is buried in her neck, one hand buried in her hair and the other on her waist. 

“He spotted us. Is he still looking?”

Robin isn’t sure when she wrapped her arms around his neck. It’s like her body reacted on instinct. She’ll deal with that revelation later. She peaks over at their subject who’s still eyeing them nervously.

“He’s looking.”

Then his lips are on hers and it’s better than anything her imagination could ever create. She can feel the scar on his lip and god, who knew his lips were so soft. She tilts her head to deepen the kiss. His tongue licks into her mouth and she can feel chest rumble as he moans when her fingers find the hair at the nape of his neck.

When she pulls away to breathe he moves to her neck and her head falls back against the wall and she remembers why they got here in the first place.

“Cormoran, is it working?” She’s breathless and it’s hard to focus on anything but his lips trailing across her skin.

“I don’t bloody care.”

  
  



	7. “Is something bothering you?”

Cormoran was staring at her in consternation from his side of their shared desk.

“Is something bothering you?”

He looks away, suddenly very interested in his pen instead of her.

“Cormoran…”

“S’nothing.” But he knows the look on her face, she caught him and she’d get the truth from him one way or another.

“I just- what  _ are _ we?”

That surprised her. They never really put a label on what they were doing. She spent most nights at his, if she was honest his flat felt more like home than hers by now.

Dating sounded wrong. They didn’t really go on dates, unless Friday’s at the Tottenham counted. Boyfriend didn’t sound right either. He was more than that.

“What do you want us to be?”

He shrugs.

“You’re it for me, Robin. You’re everything.”

She gets up from her chair and sits on his lap. His arms wrap around her and she touches her forehead to his. 

Everything. That sounds right.


	8. “I’m scared”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost deleted this by accident so I’m posting it now before I lose it.

“I’m scared.”

Robin rolled her eyes at Cormoran’s dramatics. “They’re children and it’s one night.”

“Exactly!”

He’s not entirely sure how Lucy convinced him to take the boys overnight while she had a very well-deserved, child free, date night with husband for the first time in years. 

“It’s not my fault you were only half-listening to Lucy when she called to ask.”

Cormoran paced back and forth across his cramped flat trying to come up with a last minute excuse to cancel.

“Where will they even sleep? There’s barely enough room for us up here!”

Robin thought for a minute. “Do we still have those walkie-talkies from the Leering Lester case?”

“Yeah, I think so. Why?” 

“Well, we could let them sleep in the front office. My brothers used to sleep in the old barn at my uncle’s growing up. They’d use the walkie-talkies to talk to my uncle at the house if they needed anything. They loved it.”

He looks at her like she just saved him from drowning. “God, I love you so much.”

————

Strike had just gotten Robin’s knickers off when the walkie-talkie buzzed and Jack’s voice came through.

“Uncle Cormoran? Are you there? Over.”

He sighs, hanging his head as Robin laughs and reaches for the device to hand to him.

“Hey Jack, I’m here.”

Silence.

“Jack?”

Robin whispers. “I think you have to say ‘over’.”

Cormoran rolls his eyes. “I’m here. Over.”

The static buzzes.”Um, can we talk to Robin for a second? Over.”

He looks at Robin confused but pushes the button while she speaks. “Hey there, what can I do for you? Oh. Over!”

“Hi Robin. We found a tin of biscuits and were wondering if we could have some? Over.”

“You can have two each. Gotta leave some for your uncle or he’ll get grumpy. Over.”

They thank her and bid each other goodnight but when she turns back to Cormoran he looks betrayed. 

“Why did they ask for you? I’m their Uncle. I’m supposed to be in charge! And now they’re eating my biscuits.”

Robin barely holds in her laughter as she comforts her pouting partner.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep writing stories where Robin gets to laugh at Cormoran but I’m not sorry.


	9. “I have to do this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of angst. A lil.

“I  _ have  _ to do this? Right now?!”

Vanessa was surprised by Robin’s outburst. Her typically very calm and agreeable friend was now pacing back and forth in front of her, looking frantic.

“I just need to get-“ 

“They took him away in an ambulance! He was barely conscious! I should have gone with him…” Robin was fiddling with her necklace and struggling to breathe evenly.

Vanessa gently led Robin over to a nearby bench and helped her calm her breathing, counting out to three for her to exhale.

“Look, they only took him as a precaution and they wouldn’t have let you ride with him either way. Let me take a quick statement while it’s all fresh in your head and I’ll take you straight to the hospital myself, yeah?”

When Robin finally looked at her, her eyes were red and her cheeks were tear stained but suddenly her jaw set and her eyes became focused.

“He was tall. I’d guess a bit over 6 foot but lean. Wearing all black but the jacket had a grey piping down…”

After momentarily being Impressed by her attention to detail, Vanessa grabbed her notebook and rushed to keep up.

  
  



	10. “Give me five minutes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one stumped me. Idk how i feel about it.

Barclay is terribly sick with the flu.

Wardle still hasn’t gotten back to him about the CCTV footage he desperately needs.

Lucy keeps ringing him about her husband’s surprise birthday he does not want to attend.

The hot water tank in his flat has finally bit the dust with no one to come sort it for days.

And despite looking over every piece of evidence a hundred times he has nothing to show for it.

So when Robin walks in asking him if he can cover Barclay’s surveillance so she can interview a new lead he snaps.

“For gods sake, can you give me five fucking minutes?”

He regrets the words the instant they leave his mouth. She didn’t need that. She was nearly as stressed as he was with the backlog of work.

Robin’s face is blank as she turns on her heel, coat and bag already in hand and heads for the exit.

“Robin! I’m sorry!” He calls after her but she’s already out the door.

_ Fuck _ .

———-

He’s never snapped at her since they’ve begun seeing each other. They’ve bickered but it was always lighthearted or about a case that they were stuck on. 

He’s spent the afternoon half-heartedly tailing Barclay’s suspect but all he can think about is Robin.

He rang her earlier but she didn’t answer. He had worked himself into a frenzy picturing her breaking up with him when a text came through.

_ Meeting new lead. Can’t talk. _

Okay. So she was at least open to communication. That was a bit more reassuring.

When she sent another message saying the interview was a dead end but she was home safe, the panic started to rise again. She had been spending more and more nights at his these days. He was used to falling asleep with her in his arms and he had assumed she’d be coming home to him tonight.

He groaned as he dropped his head in his hands.

——-

Robin’s phone rings and she already knows who it is before she even looks at the screen.

“Hello Cormoran.”

“Hey, um, can I come in?”

She looks out her front window and there he is standing awkwardly on the sidewalk in his signature coat, looking a bit worse for wear.

“What if i say no?”

She hears him suck in a deep breath. “I’ll leave.”

She hangs up on the call as she walks over the the front door. He looks dejected until he hears her call out to him from the doorway. “You can come in.”

He hurries over to her and she allows him to step inside. The words start tumbling out of his mouth the second the door shuts behind him.

“Robin, I’m so sorry about earlier. I’ve had a proper shit week but that doesn’t mean i get to take it out on you. I won’t do it again but I understand if…you don’t… want this-“

She holds up a hand to stop him. “Cormoran, did you think I’d break up with you over one little outburst?”

The way he stares at the floor instead of her tells her what she needs to know.

“I don’t like being snapped at…” He looks up at her then away, ashamed. “But I appreciate you apologizing. Thank you.”

She opens her arms and he stumbles into them, hugging her tightly to him. He turns his head to kiss her cheek and revels in the lovely sigh she makes.

When they part she reaches for his hand and leads him inside the flat. They’re almost to her room when he remembers and he stops pulling his hand away to dig into his large coat pockets.

“Almost forgot, I also brought your favourite chocolate and some wine.” He offers them out to her. 

“Bribery.”

He shrugs but they’re both smiling as she continues leading him to her room where he plans to find a few more ways to apologize.

  
  



	11. “Is everything okay?”

She slows the movement of her hips and her eyes meet his, looking concerned.

“Is everything okay?”

He sits up and her hands travel from his chest to rest on his shoulders.

“Y-yes.” His voice trembles and he swallows down the lump in his throat. He presses his forehead to hers. “Ellacott, what are you doing to me?”

How does she not know the power she has over him? She could destroy him  _ so _ easily. Bend him to her will but she doesn’t. He’s at her mercy but she still treats him like he’s precious to her.

She pulls back to look him in the eye once again, brow furrowed and head tilted in confusion. She cups his face in her hands, her thumbs gently brushing back and forth against his cheeks. “I love you.”

He finally breaks when she says those words and he buries his face in the hollow of her neck. He’s never felt like this before.

Love without compromise. For who he was, not what she wanted him to be, without strings attached.

He wants to apologize. Their first time together after so long and so much struggle and here he is falling apart in her arms.

But she doesn’t allow him to wallow as she kisses his cheek, then the other, the scar on his lip, his chin…

After each kiss, she tells him again that she loves him.

He promises himself he’ll make it up to her but for tonight, he lets himself crumble to pieces because he knows she’ll put him together again.


	12. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one I struggled with and dunno how much i like it.

Cormoran strolled into the Tottenham feeling tired but looking forward to the weekend. They had no cases to catch up on and Barclay had the only surveillance shift.

He had the entire weekend to spend in bed with Robin. He still had to remind himself that he could kiss her and touch her as much as he wanted now. Well aside from office hours but they already had a few slip ups and truthfully he intended to have many more.

But it had been their little secret for the past few weeks after he finally admitted his feelings. 

All his plans for a grand romantic gesture had fallen away when she had handed him a perfectly made cup of tea one evening when they were working late and the words just tumbled out.

“I’m in love with you.”

He remembers the fear that was overwhelming him as he waited for her reply and the relief that came when she leaned across his desk to kiss him.

It was awkward and delicious and perfect as he pulled her to him, Robin practically crawling over the desk because they both refused to break the kiss for her to simply walk around it.

They had finally told Nick and Ilsa the other day. After debating the best way to break the news, they settled on a photo. A selfie of Robin tucked against his side while they lay in bed, his face half buried in her golden hair.

Ilsa had facetimed them within seconds, squealing with excitement for her friends finally admitting their feelings for each other.

“I was wondering how long you were gonna try to hide it from us!”

They looked at each other then back to Ilsa on the screen.

“How did you know?!”

“Oh don’t flatter yourself. You aren’t as subtle as you think you are.” Strike huffed in defeat. “Plus Nick saw you holding hands under the table at curry last week.”

Now he was meeting Robin for drinks with Nick and Ilsa at his favourite bar surrounded by his favourite people with his favourite beer.

And as he chats with his friends with his arm around the woman he adores he can’t believe he waited so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do kind of think Cormoran would just blurt it out at a pretty random moment unintentionally.


	13. “What are you smiling about?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit out of order cause I’m stuck on today’s prompt and apparently I’ve completely stopped bothering at keeping them 100 words now.

Ilsa walked into her living room to find a very pissed Cormoran laying on her couch. Nick had joined him for a long overdue boys night of football and drinking. Nick was already passed out upstairs.

He had managed to get his coat off and unbuckle his belt but gave up on his shirt buttons and flopped onto the couch. He was staring up at the ceiling, a grin on his face.

Ilsa sat in the chair next to him and poked his shoulder with her foot. “What are you smiling about?”

He didn’t answer at first but then he sighed dreamily. “Rob’n.”

This surprised her. She already knew he adored Robin. You only needed to see them together for 5 minutes to sort that out but even with her pushing him he rarely admitted these things. So when he continued on without her prodding, she shut up and let him carry on.

“She’s so- mmmm… perfect!” He nearly yelled it out, proud he managed to find a suitable word in his drunken brain. “She has pretty hair and there’s always candy and biscuits in the car. She smells like… like sunshine. And flowers. Nice things.”

She remembers when Strike first told her about Charlotte all those years ago and the power she had over her friend had scared her. She was right to be as Charlotte spent years toying with him, always keeping him on uneven ground so he’d never know what was coming next.

But Cormoran always needed to solve a mystery when he discovered one and he thought Charlotte was the greatest one of all.

Ilsa always found it funny that he thought there was so much to Charlotte. Ilsa found her rather simple. A spoiled brat who got her kicks from manipulation. There were no hidden depths to her, just so many lies you couldn’t know what was true.

It’s so different with Robin.

As she listens to his list of all the things he loves about Robin (“She’s so clever. You should see Becca! You’d like Becca. She knows all the words to songs. Robin’s good at B-Becca.”), Ilsa feels comforted. She knows someone is looking out for her old friend, wants what’s best for him and understands him in a way that even she never will.

She’s brought back from her thoughts when he says what she’s suspected for a while now.

“Ilsa…” He’s looking her in the eye from where he lays on the couch and she’s not sure if it’s the booze or tears threatening their way out that make his eyes shine.

“I love her.”

“Have you told her?”

He shakes his head.

“You should.”

“What if she doesn’t…” He trails off.

“What if she does?”

He goes quiet, his drunken brain trying to process a possibility he rarely lets his sober brain ponder.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

She helps him up to the spare room and gives him the pajamas she keeps for him. She leaves him to change and remove his leg before she comes back with a glass of water and paracetamol.

She’s nearly out the room when he says it.

“I’m gonna tell her, Ils.”

She bids him goodnight and hopes that next time Cormoran and Robin come over for curry they show up together, hand in hand.


	14. “Who told you that?”

“Penny for ‘em?”

Robin was sitting at her desk next to him, leaning back in her chair for at least fifteen minutes now, staring off into space looking deep in thought.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing.” She refocused on the papers in front of her but knew his eyes were on her and with a sigh she gave in.

“I was just thinking of things I missed out on now that my 20’s are coming to an end.” She shrugs like it’s nothing.

He’s curious now. “Like what?”

She taps her pen against her chin, thinking. “Like… I always wanted to dye my hair a crazy colour just once. Or get a tattoo.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Blokes don’t like girls with crazy hair and tattoos.” She says it like it’s an objective fact she’s heard a thousand times before.

“Who told you  _ that _ ?”

She looks at him, one eyebrow raised, like it’s obvious.

“Matthew.” He grimaces at the thought of him and how he stifled Robin for so long. “That’s bollocks. Get your tattoos and rainbow hair.”

She laughs and her smile makes his heart beat quicker. “I was thinking more of a light pink than rainbow. The kind that fades away after a few washes.”

He looks her over, trying to picture it, deciding she could choose any colour and she’d still leave him breathless.

“And I only want one tattoo for now. A small Yorkshire rose on my hip maybe. What d’ya think?”

It takes a moment for his brain to stop short circuiting at the thought of getting to see said rose tattoo in an intimate setting before he answers.

“I think Matthew’s an idiot. You’d look incredibly desirable with a tattoo and pink hair.”

He feels his face flush when he realizes what he just said. “Not that what I think- anyone thinks- if that’s what you want!”

When he looks at her she seems just as flushed as him. She’s smiling though and she looks pleased.

“Thanks. Maybe I’ll ring that tattoo shop I follow on Instagram then.” She seems happier now as she gets back to work.

Maybe he’ll get to see it after all.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between Matthew being an ass and trying to recover from her attack I feel like maybe Robin missed out on some typical “young” things. I say do whatever you like though.


	15. “What’s in it for me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter one today but some prompts have got away from me and i started writings sort of non-Striketober one for some reason.

“What’s in it for me?” He’s stretched out in the chair behind his desk, a playful smile on his face.

“Biscuits!” She replies quickly, ignoring the fact that he has plenty right here in the office. 

He makes an exaggerated expression like he’s debating it in his head. “Tempting but not tempting enough.”

She saunters over to him from the doorway and he swears she’s exaggerating the swing of her hips as she moves. She settles herself right on his lap and drapes an arm over his shoulder. When her fingertips find the hair at the nape of his neck he can’t help the delightful shiver that runs through him.

She leans down to whisper against his ear. “I’ll be out there for hours all alone in the Land Rover, late at night.” She sighs, wistful. “If I had you there with me, I’m sure if we tried we could find a few _creative_ ways to pass the time.” 

Her other hand is playing with the buttons on his shirt, and she shifts very intentionally on his lap, waiting for him to give in. 

She’s looking at him through her lashes, biting her lip when he nods.

“I’ll get my coat.”


	16. “Look away”

Robin and Cormoran were working in their shared office. It was after five so Pat had already left for the day leaving them alone so Robin had turned on some music and put on her ‘Cormoran Friendly’ playlist.

An upbeat, energetic song came on and Robin couldn’t help but tap her foot along to the beat. She was now thoroughly distracted from filling out paperwork.

“I wanna go dancing. I haven’t done anything like that in forever. D’you think Ilsa would go with me?”

Cormoran looked at her, his brows knit together. “What’s with women and dancing?”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t think of a time in my life I’ve ever had the thought ‘I wish I could go dancing’. Even if I was good at it I wouldn't wanna.”

She shrugs. “I’m not any good at it. I still like it.”

“Yeah, but I’m sure you can move your hips and look se-“ He catches himself, coughs.”I’m just saying it’s easier for you lot.”

Robin’s smiling but shakes her head, disagreeing. “When I dance around at home I’m not trying to look any way. Just whatever feels fun.”

The track ends and a new song starts up. She likes this song and she’s aware she’ll look a fool but she stands anyways and walks to an open spot in the office.

She bops along to the beat, shuffles her feet a little as she matches her movements to the rhythm of the song. She’s not aiming for sexy or alluring, just whatever silly move she’d do alone in her apartment.

Cormoran is leaning back in his chair watching her, a massive grin plastered on his face. Taking another risk, she dances towards his desk and holds out a hand in invitation.

She truly expects him to turn her down so when he stands, shaking his head in disbelief of his own decision, and walks around the desk to join her she cannot help the excitement she feels.

He stands facing her, starts to bop his head along to the song. She’s elated and starts to add a shimmy of her hips to her little routine.

Neither of them are particularly good but Strike can’t help but find her alluring. She looks happy with her cheeks flushed and her movements naturally fluid and delicate even when she’s aiming for silly.

The bridge of the song slows, and he holds out a hand which she quickly takes. He pulls her a bit closer now and they sway together before he lifts up a hand to twirl her.

He watches her golden hair float as she turns. She’s laughing and his heart does that familiar stutter that only happens when he makes her smile.

The song picks up in tempo again but the spell isn’t broken. They’re hand in hand now, bopping along to the ever increasing pace of the song. Robin twists her hips while he tries to get his shoulders to move less awkwardly.

They’re both smiling and a little breathless as the song comes to a close. Robin is waiting for Cormoran to pull away, the light feeling to fade away but the next song comes on and his face brightens in recognition.

“A classic! One more dance?” Robin nods and he squeezes her hands as they start moving to the new beat.

————-

Barclay is making his way up to the third floor to drop off some evidence before he heads home. When he gets to the outer door, he hears music coming from the boss’s office.

It’s unusual to hear music coming from there at any time but adding to it is some pretty awful attempts at what he assumes is singing.

Of course he was gonna investigate.

When he peeks his head in the room, he’s shocked to see his two bosses dancing like idiots and singing along terribly to the song playing over the speaker.

His shock is finally worn away when his typically curmudgeonly boss notices him but continues his comical dancing with his prettier, nicer boss.

“Look away, Barclay.”

As Sam walks out the door and back onto Denmark street, he wonders how much he can take the piss outta his bosses without getting canned. 

He realizes it’s all for naught.

No one would believe him anyways.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, the songs are Reptilia by The Strokes, then Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio and Common People by Pulp. 
> 
> Robin’s ‘Cormoran Friendly’ playlist is mostly 2000’s indie rock, 70’s/80’s/90’s (mostly Brit)rock.
> 
> I’m not even attempting Barclay’s Scottishness.


	17. “I’ll drive you there.”

Cormoran had just gotten off the phone with Lucy and was already looking up train times. She had called about Uncle Ted and while she assured him it was nothing serious, Ted sounded so unlike his usual happy self. Lucy decided he needed a pick-me-up and he was asking after Strike so she hoped he could get away for a day or two.

Guilt flooded over him. He promised himself he’d be there for his uncle but he’d been distracted lately. 

_ At least it wasn’t because of work. _

That would make him feel even worse that he was failing in his promise.

Just as he was about to call and beg Barclay to cover for him for a few days, his shiny, new distraction walks into the room and kisses him softly.

She lingers for a moment before she moves to her own desk but he can see by her face she immediately senses something is off. He’s so attuned to her but it still surprises him how she’s just the same in regards to him.

“What’s wrong?”

He slides his chair towards her and takes her delicate hand in his massive ones.

“Lucy called about Ted. Thinks he’s a bit down right now and that he’s been asking about me.”

She links her fingers with his and gently squeezes. “You gonna go see him then?”

“Yeah, I was just looking up a train.”

“I”ll drive you there. If you want.” She says it casually but they both know what it means.

They’ll finally be open with their friends and family about their relationship. 

They’ve kept it secret since he finally kissed Robin on her birthday after he walked her to her door. At first, they kept it quiet as they sorted out their feelings, stealing kisses here and there or making out on his too small couch in his flat.

Turns out there wasn’t much to figure out and within a week they admitted they were in love, that every one of those past moments they felt their heart pounding with hope the other was feeling the same thing and that neither could picture a happy life without the other being in the center of it.

That was three months ago and he had been ready to scream it from the rooftops for a while. He had even prepared himself for whatever celebration Ilsa would subject them to but Robin hadn’t said anything about being ready yet.

“Are you sure?” He’s not asking about the driving.

She smiles at him, her eyes shining. “I am.”

  
  



	18. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Cormoran was confused. The look on Robin’s face was not the one he was expecting her to have when she opened her anniversary gift.

They’ve been dating for a year and he still can’t believe that she feels the same about him as he does for her. So when she opened her gift and her face went from excitement to… sadness? Disappointment? Hence the confusion.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” 

Robin looked from Strike back to the red Cartier box. Inside was a beautiful gold bracelet, a very,  _ very  _ expensive gold bracelet. The same one she had admired on a wealthy client last month. That is until she looked it up online and saw the price.

“Cormoran, this is- this costs months of rent. It’s beautiful but far too expensive!” 

He shrugs then shifts closer to her. “You liked it though. I wanna be able to spoil you a little.”

He looked so shattered and her heart broke. She knows he loves her and works hard to let her know. 

She puts the box aside and settles herself on his lap, smiling when his arms instinctively wrap around her. She runs her fingers through his messy hair as she speaks.

“You are the sweetest man I’ve ever known. You always let me hog the bed and warm me up when I’m cold. My favourite wine is always stocked in your flat. You write me love notes when you have to leave before I wake up. You hate weddings but you’ve gone to three with me this year even though you knew we’d be grilled about our relationship just so I wouldn’t be alone to deal with people asking about Matthew.”

She tilts his chin so he’s looking at her.

“I know she- Charlotte expected these kind of things from you.” He stiffened at the mention of his ex but Robin gently strokes his cheek and he relaxes into it. “I’m not her and i don’t expect them or want them.”

“You like your green dress and your perfume though. I thought-“ She puts a finger on his lips to hush him.

“For starters, the dress and perfume cost a fraction of this little piece of metal. And second, I like those gifts because of what they mean. That dress will always remind me of our first case together and you making me permanent.”

He grins. “Sure did.”

She can’t resist kissing him on the cheek. “My perfume will always remind me of my best birthday, of the start of this. You know what else I loved getting from you?”

He raises an eyebrow suggestively and she’s gently slaps at his chest.

“That donkey balloon. The cost of that wouldn’t even buy the box this bracelet comes in and I was still sad when it finally deflated.”

“God, that balloon took me ages to track down. Swear I went to every party store in London trying to find one.”

She nuzzles against his neck and hugs him tighter. “That’s romantic. The effort and the thought.”

“Okay.” He’s smiling now, understanding. “ I just wanted you to know I think you’re worth all that. You deserve nice things.”

She kisses him, it’s gentle and sweet but still leaves them both a bit breathless.

“I have nice things. I have you.”

He pinches her sides, teasing. “Bit cheesy.”

“You like it.”

He pulls her closer, her head tucked under his chin.

“Yeah, I do.”

  
  



	19. “What time is it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a continuation from Chapter 14.

Robin’s head snaps up suddenly, pushing away the file she had been reading. 

“What time is it?” She sounds a bit panicked as she digs around the piles of papers for her phone.

“Bit before 3. Why?”

She relaxes, still looking for her phone. “ Oh, um. I have an appointment at 4… for my tattoo.”

Strike remembers her mentioning her desire for one of a Yorkshire Rose a few weeks back but she never told him she’d booked the appointment.

“Bit nervous.” 

“Do- I could go with you. If you want. If not that’s fine.” The words stumble out of his mouth before he can stop himself.

She looks surprised but happy. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

———-

Strike is trying not to look too hard at Robin’s exposed hip as she holds his hand. She was barely about to sit still as they waited for her turn but she was determined to see it through.

Her vice like grip on his hand had lessened considerably once they started the first few passes of the needle but she never pulled away. He didn’t even realize how he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb as quiet encouragement.

The woman tattooing Robin is named Jade. She’s friendly and talks Robin through each step before they discuss the placement. He was surprised when Robin turned from the mirror to him to ask his opinion. Part of the surprise he felt was that she seemed to genuinely want to know.

The other was that they had undone and rolled Robin’s jeans down quite low to reach the desired spot on her hip. He was also able to see that her knickers were a soft blue colour.

He’s shaken out of his thoughts of what seeing more than Robin’s pale freckled hip might be like one day by Jade.

“So how long have you two been together?”

“About 5 years.” He says it without thinking as he holds her hand, watching the Jade work. It isn’t until she asks a follow up question that he realizes that she meant ‘how long have they been a couple’.

“You not getting his name added to it?” The tattooist winks at Robin, joking. 

Cormoran can feel his cheeks burning and debates what to say to clarify his mistake but Robin has him covered.

“Isn’t it bad luck to get someone’s name put on you?”

Jade shrugs as she wipes away some ink, looking over her work so far.

“It’s not luck. It’s when you come in to get someone’s name cause they’re mad at you or if you're 18 and swear you found the love of your life. Ridiculous.”

“That makes sense.” Robin nods in agreement.

“Matching tattoos are more popular now anyways. This next section might hurt a little but it’ll be over quick. Squeeze your bloke's hand if ya need.” 

Robin squeezes his hand tighter and without thinking he brings it to his mouth and kisses the back of her hand.

Before long, Jade pulls back from her hip and tells her the worst is over.

“Just gotta add some highlights then we’ll get you cleaned up and you can head off.”

———-

“Thank you again. For coming with me.”

They’re walking back to Denmark street. Cormoran carries a takeout bag with their dinner in it even though Robin insisted on paying as a thank you.

He shrugs. “You would have done it on your own too.”

“Yeah but you made it easier.” He feels her hand slip back into his, squeezing gently.

They walk the rest of the way back to the office hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dunno how i feel about this one but i wrote it in 30 minutes after my original idea exploded into 1500 words with more to go so that’ll be its own thing eventually.


	20. “Don’t come in”

They were breaking their number one rule.

The one bloody rule they were both determined to follow when they started (secretly) dating.

No sex in the office.

It’s just that Robin had worn this lovely dress that was somehow cute and sexy at the same time to fit in with their target. It was flouncy with a floral pattern and sweetheart neckline that she paired with red lipstick and soft curls in her hair and how the hell was he supposed to resist all that?

It was the end of the day and the office was empty aside from them when she came back from gathering evidence.

“Bloody hell, Ellacott.”

The little minx had the audacity to act coy as all the blood in his head rushed north.

She bats her lashes at him. “You like?”

_ Yes. Very much. _

So it’s not his fault when he has her bent over his desk as he’s buried inside her with the dress still on when they hear someone coming into the front office.

Except that Robin is gripping onto whatever she can in a desperate attempt to hold off her orgasm and knocks his ashtray to the ground. 

It lands with a crash.

“Boss?” Barclay calls through the door.

“Don’t come in!”  _ Please. Please don’t let this be how the world finds out about him and Robin. _

_ “ _ Alright _?” _

“Yes!” A cough. “Yes, just… my leg?”

He can feel Robin snicker as she hides her face in her arm to keep quiet.

“Okay. Just dropping off that camera. Night!”

“Night.” He calls back.

Strike and Robin stay silent and still until they can no longer hear Barclay’s descending footsteps before he picks up where he left off.

Later, when Robin’s draped across his lap as he sits back in his chair, both of them sated, he plays with the hem of her dress.

“I really can’t decide if I want you to wear this to work every day or never again.”

He can feel Robin smiling against his neck. 

“Either way, we really need to put a bell on Sam.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda how i picture the dress but different sleeves https://www.missguidedus.com/purple-floral-print-puff-sleeve-milkmaid-dress-10211537


	21. “Is this really necessary?”

“Is this really necessary?” Robin asks as she looks around the Herbert’s living room covered in terrible, cheesy decorations. 

Ilsa drapes a pink feather boa around Robin’s neck and places a plastic tiara that says “bride” on her head. “Yes! You’re getting married in a few days. You gotta enjoy your last days of freedom!”

“I’m right here.” Cormoran waves from the couch.

“Hush.”

“Darling, did all the decorations have to be penis shaped?” Nick is wearing cheap plastic beads that Ilsa put on him. She tried to do the same to Strike but decided he’ll need a few more beers first.

“Yes! I even have penis ring toss game!”

Robin can’t help but laugh at her friend's excitement. This was the compromise they all agreed upon. Ilsa could throw them a joint Stag and Hen do if it was only the four of them.

“Just promise me you didn’t hire any strippers.” Cormoran pleads with his friend.

“Depends how drunk Nick gets.”

—————

“C’mon to bed, you.” A delightfully drunk Robin calls her equally drunk fiancé over to their bed in the spare room.

“Can’t end the party yet. ‘S not a Bach-lette party without a stripper.” He’s standing beside the bed, a lazy smile on his face.

Robin crawls over and sits on her heels in the middle of the bed. “G’on then.”

Strike tries to unbutton his shirt, a horrible attempt at a seductive look on his face as Robin watches. After several unsuccessful attempts he decides to just pull the shirt over his head.

After a battle with the offending garment, he twirls the shirt over his head as Robin cheers him on with a “whoo”. 

A few more minutes of Cormoran struggling with his pants pass by when he’s finally down to nothing but his boxers. 

He tosses them aside with a flourish only to find Robin is fast asleep before he crawls into bed to join her. 

  
  



	22. “Don’t lie to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little continuation from chapter 14 & 19

“Cormoran Blue Strike, don’t you lie to me!”

His grin grows even bigger. “Uh oh, middle name means trouble.”

She narrows her eyes at him but a smile is still fighting it’s way onto her face.

He throws his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. But I’m not lying. I really do like it!” 

_ “ _ Really? You don’t think I look silly?”

Robin had felt emboldened after getting her tattoo and decided to get her pink hair. It’s just that the light pastel wash of pink she envisioned ended up being a bold fuchsia pink instead.

She had debated wearing one of her wigs for surveillance but she works with London’s other best private detective and he’d figure it out pretty quick.

So she stuck on a beanie and made her way to work. No one seemed to look twice at her on the tube which helped calm her nerves but as soon as she walked in the office of course he noticed.

He noticed and was grinning like an idiot and oh she could just smack that grin off his face right about now.

But when she warned him about the potential violence headed his way he chuckled and insisted he liked it. 

“Robin, I like it. It’s fun. Isn’t that what you wanted?” He walks over to her, he’s still smiling at her but it’s soft and fond now.

“I just wasn’t expecting it to be so bold.” She sniffles, mad at herself for being upset about some stupid hair dye that will fade away before long.

He tilts her chin up gently so she looks him in the eye. 

“I’m sorry it’s not what you wanted but I’m serious, you look great. It makes your eyes look…” He trails off, his eyes leaving hers to glance at her lips then back again.

The kiss he gives her is so soft she isn’t even sure it happens but then he tucks a pink lock of hair behind her ear, letting his fingertips brush along her cheek before he pulls his hand away.

“I have surveillance but drinks tonight?” She nods slowly as though she can barely move but then he’s walking out the door, glancing back at her over his shoulder with a boyish grin before he’s gone.

Maybe she likes the colour after all.


	23. “How long was I asleep?”

He was having that dream again. The one he loved and hated all at once.

Robin is with him.

It never really matters where they are and it changes from time to time. Sometimes they’re in the office or his flat, sometimes they’re at hers or the inn near St. Mawes where he took her away for a few days.

They may have been on a space station once. He’s not sure what his subconscious was up to with that one.

But the rest is the same.

He is with Robin and they’re in love. Just like they are when they’re awake but he’s a bit younger, closer to her age and in better shape like he had been in his army days.

He also had two perfectly functional legs.

They’re still detectives, running the best agency in London but he’s not moaning in pain after a long day or injuring himself doing something stupid to his battered knee.

In his dream, he makes love to Robin up against the wall only he isn’t stuck on crutches the next day. He lifts her easily, not worrying about the extra weight on his stump. His back muscles don’t ache as he thrusts into her.

He’s 40 now and when he did take his Robin up against the wall of their shared office in a moment of passion a few months ago, he paid for it afterwards.

She told him they should move to the desk or hurry up to his bed. “It’ll be easier on your leg”, she said in between kisses.

But he wanted to show her how strong and capable he was despite knowing she never doubted those things about him.

It’s funny though, dream Robin is the same as his Robin. The dream version of Robin looks at younger, fitter, two-legged him with the same affection and desire as his Robin looks at the real, fatter, older, one-legged him.

When he wakes up, he’s at his desk, his Robin kissing the top of his head as she softly asks him to wake up. He pulls her onto his lap and nuzzles against her neck.

“How long was I asleep?” 

Her arms wrap around him and the dream Robin he conjures in his dreams is never as lovely as his Robin.

“Dunno. You were asleep when I walked in a few minutes ago. Ready to go upstairs?”

He nods and she stands, waiting for him to tidy his desk and turn off the lights.

As they walk up the steps to his flat, his leg aches, his back is sore and he has a crick in his neck from sleeping awkwardly at his desk.

But later on, when he’s laying in bed with his Robin laying against his chest and drifting off to sleep he decides all the aches and pains are worth it for the real thing.


	24. “Does this help?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually two chapters in one that were connected but I already wrote for the prompt “is this really necessary?” before and forgot. 
> 
> And kinda a bit smutty? I’m trying. For a diff fic I’m working on.

“Is this really necessary?” Strike asks as he sulks in his bed.

“You did this to yourself. The doctor told you at least a week of bed rest and didn’t even last 48 hours.” Robin scurries around the flat getting ready for the day.

“I thought you were in trouble.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He was worried until he heard her curse at the spilled cup of tea.

“No. You made up an excuse so you could get out of bed and now you need 2 weeks in bed instead of one.”

“I heard a crash. You could have been attacked.” 

“You didn’t even call out to see what it was. Just came as quick as you could, injured leg be damned.”

“But I’m so bloody bored.” He’s whining. He knows he is but he’s still doing it. That’s how bored he is.

“I rearranged the rota so I’m in the office as much as possible. I’ll do as much as I can up here so we can go through it together.”

She’s gone out of her way to make sure all the cases are covered  _ and _ does her best to keep him occupied while he’s cooped up. He shouldn’t complain especially to her but he hates feeling so weak and useless.

“What do I do until then?” It’s a genuine question. The day seems so long when he’s stuck in bed, alone.

“Well what do you usually do to pass the time?”

“Work. Drink. Shag you.” He looks up at her, eyes hopeful that she’ll be up for the last _one._

Robin crawls over to him, her voice soft and sultry as she straddles his lap. “Pat’s taking a long lunch with her daughter today.”

His hands grip her hips to encourage her to rock against him but she pulls away and climbs off of him. “I promise I’ll come up here to ravish you so you can sleep the afternoon away.”

“Well now that’s all I’m gonna think about till then.”

She grabs her laptop to head out the door before she looks back at her pouting giant.

“Guess you’ll have lots of fun ideas for us to try when I get back then.” All she hears a muffled groan as she heads down to start the day.

————

8 days later:

“Does this help?”

“Fuck,  _ yes.  _ So much.”

His eyes are half shut when he turns to look at her. It still amazes him how beautiful she is.

He was about to lose his last shred of sanity when he started sending dirty texts to Robin a floor below him. She’s been so busy keeping everything running so smoothly and keeping him for completely losing his mind with boredom while he stays in bed.

(He will admit, when this is over, that actually listening to the doctor worked and his leg healed quicker than expected as well as it feeling better than it has in quite some time.)

But today was Friday and Robin had been out often these past few days so her frequent pop ins were missed so he may have begged for a quick visit.

And if those pop ins, had included quick shags or Robin taking him in her mouth, then even better.

Right now though, she gripped him in her hand while he reached under her shirt to play with her lovely breasts.

“Take off your bra.”

“No time.”

She squeezes a little tighter on the upstroke like he enjoys and his head falls back against the headboard with a thud.

“Fu-ck.”

Robin grins and nips at his jaw and somehow he’s already nearly there with just her delicate hand.

“When my leg-god… when it’s better… gonna make- Robin- fuck.”

“Use your words.” 

He grunts what he hopes comes across as ‘yes, dear’.

“Cormoran?” How does she make his name sound like that?

“Mmm?”

She whispers in his ear, her lips brushing so softly against his skin. “Will you come for me?”

He groans and buries his face in her neck, his hips jerking up into her hand as they work together to bring him his climax.

It doesn’t take long and soon he’s gasping and spilling onto her hand as her movements slow.

He’s still coming down from his orgasm when she kisses his forehead and gets up from the bed. He’s vaguely aware of her in the kitchen before she comes back with a cup of tea and a few biscuits for him on the bedside table.

“I’ll be back a bit late tonight.”

He’s about to protest when she holds up a hand to stop him.

“But I cleared my weekend so rest up while I’m gone cause neither of us are going to leave the bed.”

He nods, and by the time she’s walking out onto Denmark street, he’s fast asleep.


	25. “Are you warm enough?”

“Are you warm enough?” He can already see Robin shivering from the corner of his eye.

“I’ll be fine.”

He steps closer. “That’s not what I asked.”

But she’s nearly as stubborn as him. “No but I’ll be fine once I get home.”

He starts to shrug off his coat but she protests. “Nope. Then you’ll catch a cold and you just got over one.”

She shivers again and it’s settled.

He simply opens up his massive coat with his hands stuffed in his pockets and steps behind her enveloping her in his arms and wrapping her up with him.

“Okay?”

He can feel her nodding against his chin, neither aware of the other’s smile as they wait for a sighting of their target.

  
  



	26. “Do you want me to stop?”

“Do you want me to stop?”   


He fiddled with his packet of Benson & Hedges as Robin drove. He was itching for a smoke but he tried his best not to with Robin in the car.

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

She pouted her lips, debating how honest she wanted to be then gave in with a sigh. “I do but I don’t want you to resent me for it or feel like you  _ have  _ to. It’s still your decision.”

Ok. He could handle that. She said her feelings but still allowed him to decide for himself. He knows she’s expecting him to get defensive but that’s another habit he’s quietly trying to curb when it’s towards her. 

Instead, he put his cigarettes back in his coat pocket and takes her hand in his.

“I appreciate your honesty. Thank you.”

He pretends not to notice the guffaw she lets out at his very mature response.

——-

“Cormoran?” Robin pokes her head in the door to their office.

“Hmm?”

“Is everything alright?” She walks over to him and leans against his desk.

“Of course. Why?”

She crosses her arms. “Sam said you were an- you snapped at him earlier. Wasn’t sure why.”

Oh. That.

“Cormoran…”

“Okay, okay. I’m trying to quit smoking and it’s a bit harder than I anticipated.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped you.” She reaches out to cup his cheek and he leans into it before turning to kiss her wrist.

He pulls her to him and she settles sideways on his lap, legs draped over the arm of the chair.

She bumps his nose with the tip of her own. “Why now?”

This is the part he’s been dreading. Admitting his vulnerabilities aloud, not out of shame but fear it will bring her to her senses and she leaves him for someone more worthy. 

“I never really cared before… what happened to me…” He swallows the lump in his throat.

“You do now though?” He nods, takes a breath and forces himself to press on.

“It’s more that- that I don’t want to miss out on things. Ilsa and Nick’s kid… Jack growing up…” He looks her in the eye now. “...you. Every fucking moment I get with you. I want as much time as I can get to be with you.”

Her eyes are filled with tears but he smiles.

“Sad you’re not getting rid of me so soon after all?”

She slaps at his chest but he just hugs her tighter, completely forgetting about the nicotine he was desperate for just a few minutes ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idek how I feel about this one.
> 
> And I’ve written Robin sitting on his lap in half of these but... she would, right?


	27. “I can’t reach it.”

“Rob’n!”

The call of her name was muffled by Cormoran’s stuffed up nose and sore throat. He woke up yesterday morning in her bed looking the worse than the morning he’d met her at Vashti.

His eyes were red and puffy, he was sweating and looked impossibly pale. He could barely lift his head without feeling dizzy and his voice sounded like he’d swallowed sandpaper.

“I think you caught Sam’s flu.” She said as she felt his forehead, trying to remember if she even had a thermometer.

She had spent her day looking after him and had learned something new about her boyfriend.

He was an absolutely awful patient.

But not how she had expected. She had expected resistance, insisting he was actually fine but instead she got the opposite.

Maybe it was because over the past year they’ve found a new level of comfort around each other or maybe even he knew that he really was that sick but he was a challenging patient.

She hated how endearing she found her typically independent partner being so needy. He called for her every 10 minutes when he was awake, whether it was water, medicine but mostly her company.

She’d spent hours with his head in her lap yesterday as she stroked his sweat soaked hair.

She’d managed to get him showered and her sheets changed earlier when he was feeling up to it but he’d been down for the count since.

So when he called for her in his scratchy voice she hurried to the bed. “What do you need?”

“I can’t reach it.” He weakly demonstrated how he couldn’t reach his phone that had fallen to the floor and was just  _ barely  _ out of his grasp.

“Can you really not reach it or did you just want me to come lay with you?” She picks up his phone and sets it back beside him but he’s already got the covers pulled back for her to join him.

  
  



	28. “That doesn’t count.”

“That doesn’t count.” 

Strike looks at her, incredulous. “What do you mean that doesn’t count?”

“That wasn’t our first date. You just took me back to yours.” She shrugs, as if it wasn’t one of the best nights of her life. 

“How doesn’t that count? I snogged you, told you I was madly in love with you and gave you,  _ and I quote,  _ ‘the best shag of your life’.” He pauses briefly. “At least up until that point but I like to think I’ve outdone myself since then.”

He’s looking smug and she knows she’s smiling at the memory of that night but she refuses to concede.

“But it still wasn’t a date. It was our usual Friday trip to the pub after work until… after.”

After…

...when they walked out of the pub, neither wanting to say goodnight till Robin finally turned to head to the tube but he’d taken her hand to stop her. When he told her he couldn’t keep it in anymore and kissed her, only pulling away to quietly confess how he loved more than he ever thought was possible, for far longer than he should have.

“So, when is our anniversary according to you?” He asks.

“That  _ can _ be our anniversary but you said you think our first date should be the anniversary.”

“And that was our first date!” They’re arguing but it’s playful and neither can hide their smiles as they debate the issue they both agree on.

“No! Our first date was the next week, the Saturday when we went for dinner and you gave me flowers.”

He’d worried over the flowers after his gift of lillies was not well received but he couldn’t resist when he saw the bouquet of wildflowers in a shop window. They were a mix of blues and purples with daisies scattered throughout. They reminded him of her and he told her so as he nervously presented them.

When she looked at him with tears in her eyes he panicked but she smiled saying she’d never received flowers like this. They hung, dried out in her bedroom, a memory of that night.

“I still say the pub is our first date. Once I kissed you, it retroactively became a date.”

“Is that how that works?”

He shrugs, tiring of the banter in favor of taking her to bed. He comes up next to her and pulls her into his arms.

“It can be whenever you want but I was all yours well before that night.”

  
  



	29. “You scared the shit out of me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty much a continuation of chapter 9.

By some miracle, apart from some bruises and a couple stitches, Cormoran was fine. 

After giving Vanessa her statement, her friend had rushed her to the hospital and even flashed her badge to get Robin through a rather curmudgeonly nurse who was strict about visiting hours.

She found Cormoran sat up in a hospital bed, looking bruised but conscious. She rushes to his bedside and takes his hand, holding it to her cheek.

“You scared the shit out of me.”

“‘M sorry, Robin.” 

“Don’t apologize. It wasn’t your fault.” She kisses his forehead and steps back but he keeps his grip on her hand. “Nick’s working and is gonna stop by soon.”

He nods and she can tell by the look on his face he wants to escape. “When can we go home?”

“We’ll see what Nick says. If he gives us the all clear then I’ll sneak you out if I have to.”

She knows how much he hates hospitals but she needs to be sure. She trusts Nick, knows he wants the best for Strike like she does.

“I feel stupid. Should have seen him coming.” He shakes his head, mad at himself.

“Stop that. He came out of nowhere.”

Strike squeezes her hand and looks her in the eye, his voice cracking as he speaks. “He could have hurt you.”

Robin leans down and touches her forehead to his.

———-

Nick walks into emergency and sees his friends as soon as he rounds the corner. He’s about to call out to them when he stops and steps back.

He peeks around the corner and sees them, foreheads gently touching and Robin stroking his cheek. It’s the kind of intimacy he’s really only ever shared with Ilsa.

But he’s even more surprised when Oggy brushes away a tear from Robin’s rosy cheek before softly kissing her.

It’s so tentative that he wonders if it’s their first one. 

He decides to give them a few minutes and nips off to call Ilsa, making her promise to give them some time to share their news.


	30. “Don’t freak out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can’t believe there’s only one more day

“Don’t freak out.”

Strike was already imagining increasingly absurd ways Ilsa would react to the news that he and Robin were a couple.

A massive billboard congratulating them in the middle of London.

A parade complete with marching band and elephants marching down Denmark street.

Ilsa’s head literally exploding into confetti as she squeals with excitement.

She’s immediately concerned. “What happened? Is everything okay?”

“Everything is great. I promise. I just have-uh… some news.” 

“Ok?” 

“Robin and I are together.” He blurts it out and braces for her reaction.

But he’s met with a very irritated Ilsa.

“Don’t you joke with me, Cormoran!”

This was unexpected. Why on earth would she think he’s lying about this of all things.

“I’m not! We’re a couple!”

“That’s not funny. You know how much I want that for you two. You could be so happy together.” She sounds like she’s trying to convince him despite him already being very aware.

“We are happy together! For a couple months now!”

“Ha. Ha.” She says flatly. “That’s a cruel prank. I’m very mad at you so you’re paying for curry this week, _again_.”

Ilsa hangs up on him and stares at his phone, wondering what the bloody hell just happened when he notices today’s date.

“Christ! Of all the days!”

He always did hate April Fool’s.


	31. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe I managed to finish the challenge. Thank you all for being so lovely and congrats to everyone who even attempted this.

He can see Robin steady herself through the frosted glass on their office door before she walks in. Cormoran had asked her to meet him at the office this afternoon to _talk_.

She opts to sit in the chair opposite his desk instead of her own chair that sits beside him.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” She asks as if she doesn’t already know.

“I wanted to talk about the other night.”

“Oh.” Robin shifts awkwardly.

“Yeah.” He’s certain his own body language mirrors hers.

“So?” 

“Well, the way I see it… there’s two options.” He’s going for casual but he can feel a cold sweat ready to break out on his forehead.

“Ok?”

He takes a deep breath, unsure what will happen _after_.

“Option one: We forget it. It was a late night and a long week and we had a bit too much to drink. We kissed but it was just a silly drunken moment we can laugh about later.”

“Ok.” Robin nods.

“Ok. If that’s what you want th-“

She cuts off his chance to escape. “What’s option two?”

_Oh._

“Option two…” he swallows “Option two is the truth.”

“The truth?”

“The truth is… it’s that I’ve wanted to kiss you for far longer than I should have.”

The room is silent and Robin’s face gives nothing away as she studies him but he’s already come this far.

He’s practiced what to say in his head but it still stutters out of him like he’s struggling with every other word.

“The truth is I love you and I want to be with you. It’s not just a passing fancy. You’re it for me. I’ll never love anyone the way I love you nor do I want to. And if you don’t… it’s okay. I’ll never mention it again because I want you to be happy… even if it’s with someone else.”

She remains silent, looking him over as though she’s waiting for the catch.

“I am aware that there are... complications that I’ve taken the liberty of sorting out. Regardless of your choice.” He looks her in the eye so it’s clear it’s her decision. “Things I should have done before.”

She looks confused as he pulls out a pile of legal documents.

“First, it’s time to rename the agency. I prefer Ellacott & Strike but I might be biased. I have someone booked for next week to come change the name on the door.”

He hands her the document they need to file once they finalize the name and continues on.

“Second, you need to be made a full partner.” Robin starts to protest but he holds up a hand. “This business only exists today because of you. It’s _thriving_ because of you. So we split it, 50/50. If you ever decided to leave, you wouldn’t be starting for scratch and we have equal say in all business decisions.”

He hands her another stack of paper, all written in legalese.

“Ilsa helped me draw up the papers and will go through it all with you. Or if you wanna go to someone else, that’s fine too.”

Robin’s shuffles through the papers in disbelief.

“This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”

He smiles but it looks sad, resigned. He isn’t surprised she prioritizes the job. He had done the same before her.

“Feel free to take your time. Call Ilsa. I don’t understand half this nonsense but I trust her.”

He can’t figure out the look on Robin’s face and wonders if he overwhelmed her and when she finally speaks it offers him no insight to her thoughts.

“Ok.”

He nods. “Ok.”

She stands and walks out the office while he wills himself not to fall apart right there.

He meant it. He’ll never be able to stop loving her but he’s at her mercy so if a professional partnership is all he gets, then he’s lucky. He’s still part of her world and he considers that a privilege.

He can hear talking in the front office and assumes she’s talking to Pat before the front door shuts. _She must be going to see Ilsa._

There’s a knock at his office door and he has to take a deep breath to calm himself.

“Come in, Pat.”

But it’s Robin who walks through.

“Oh.” He’s surprised.

“I sent Pat home early.”

“Ok.” He nods.

“I sent a message to the contractors not to come back to the office today.” She sits back in the chair on the opposite side of his desk.

“Ok?”

“How long?” She looks determined now.

“Hmm?”

“How long have you wanted to kiss me?”

“Oh.” He takes a deep breath. 

“Barrow. I remember laying back on the bed and trying to find an excuse to knock on your door. I had never allowed myself… before. I’ve lost track of how many times since then.”

Her unreadable expression finally transforms into something soft but sad. “On the steps at my wedding?”

“Yeah. Then too.”

She’s looking down at her lap, her hands flexing until she looks him in the eye and he sees they’re filled with tears. Her lip quivers as she holds back more tears. Her voice is a whisper.

“Can we really have it all? Are we that lucky?”

He almost laughs, imagining all the pain and suffering they’ve both endured in their lives, wondering how they could ever be considered lucky. But then he thinks about how getting to live a life in her orbit is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to him.

“I think… we both worked hard for it. Don’t you? And there will be problems that come up but look what we’ve already made it through.”

She nods, seemingly agreeing with him.

“What if- what if I’m not what you expect?” She pulls at the end of her sleeves, trying to hide her discomfort.

“We’ve been wrapped up in each other’s lives for nearly five years now. You think I’m gonna run cause what? You snore or something?”

“I mean, physically…” She looks him in the eye.

“Ah.”

“There’s only been- him. It was always quite… standard. And you, well, you know.” She waves a hand toward him.

“So then we take it slow. It would be my pleasure to-“ He searches for the right words. “help you expand your horizons. If that’s what you wanted.”

She has a hint of a smile now. “You have it all figured out then?”

“No. Things will come along but…” He pauses, suddenly overcome with emotion. He swallows the lump in his throat.

“Cormoran?” She reaches across the desk for his hand and he’s grateful for it.

“I never got to introduce you to Joan. I kept pushing my feelings for you aside. My feelings for everything aside. Things I was too cowardly to face.” He pauses to collect himself. “She would have loved you and I-I wish I had been braver. I don’t want to live like that anymore.”

Tears fall down her cheeks and he wants to kiss them away but he settles for squeezing her hand.

“Aren’t you scared?”

He barks out a laugh. “I’m fucking petrified.”

She’s silent as another tear escapes and he wonders how long he can sit here without falling apart but his Robin is merciful and puts him out of his misery.

“I love you and I want to be with you too.”

_Oh._

He had never allowed himself to imagine this part, where gets what he wanted for so long. He’d been prepared for outright rejection or her choosing the job over him but never her loving him they way he loves her.

He was staring in awe as she walked around his desk and instead of taking a seat in her chair she settled onto his lap.

His arms wrap around her instinctively as her hand cups his cheek. He turns his head to place a soft kiss on her wrist and he can practically feel her pulse pounding as he does.

Then she’s guiding his mouth to hers and he has every intention to go slow, to give her a soft, chaste kiss but the moment their lips touch it’s forgotten.

He moans as she opens her mouth, her tongue eagerly searching for his as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. He had expected her to be hesitant, was ready to take as much time as she needed but she’s so insistent, nearly overwhelming him.

When they’ll pull apart to catch their breath, his rests his forehead against hers. They stay like that until Robin whispers softly. “Take me upstairs.”

He pulls back to look her in the eyes, and wonders if she’ll ever stop taking his breath away before taking her hand and leading them up to start their new life. 

Together.


End file.
